PTO driven log splitter

[ptsg]

I'm guessing that this is the one you are talking about:

3pt HD Log Plitter - $250 (Nashville)

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If it's indeed this one and if you end up getting the splitter, please remove those galvanized fittings and pipe right away! Those fittings are a really bad accident waiting to happen. They are not rated for hydraulic applications and can blow up really badly.

 

[John_Mc]

If it's indeed this one and if you end up getting the splitter, please remove those galvanized fittings and pipe right away! Those fittings are a really bad accident waiting to happen. They are not rated for hydraulic applications and can blow up really badly.

You've got a sharper eye than I do. I missed those. When I had hoses added to plumb one of my rear remotes forward to operate the grapple on my loader, the dealer used some fittings rated for hundreds of pounds of pressure, rather than true hydraulic fittings. When I complained, the conversation went something like this:

Mechanic: We use them all the time without a problem.
Me: Not on my tractor.
Mechanic: : The grapple should never see those pressures.
Me: 1) What are you basing that on? You've never seen the pressure relief valve go off when using a grapple?
2) How do you know what else I may be using that connection for?
Just replace them with proper hydraulic fittings, as you should have used in the first place.

 

[ptsg]

Holy crap! That coming from a dealer? Wow. I mean, they should be the first ones to NOT do that.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have used Black pipe for hydraulic stuff. Never an issue. Can't say, that I have ever seen pipe nipples stated for hydraulic use. Usually I use smaller than 1/2" pipe, but it would be interesting to know what the bursting rating is for 1/2" black pipe.

I see one chart that says 1/2" pipe has a bursting strength of 15,000 pounds!

 

[The Fred]

That looks like a 4 inch cylinder. I just bought a new Timberwolf TW3 with it's own pump. It has a 4 inch cylinder also, on my rear remotes it has a 12 second one way cycle time at PTO speed, not very fast as the CK2610 has a 11 GPM pump.

It came with a 22 GPH PTO pump that runs 6 seconds splitting and 5 seconds returning at 1500 engine rpm.

One can't buy any splitter for $250 I would scoop it up and fool with it. Maybe a 4 way will help.

You know what a 4 way is right?

 

[Industrial Toys]

Maybe he would trade for a couple of Velvet Elvis Pictures. Or some collector Beanie Babies. I get those offers all the time. Well, maybe not quite like that. But boats and recreational stuff.

 

[KYErik]

It definitely looks very heavy duty. I'm not familiar with your tractor model, but be sure it has enough front end weight or you may be steering with your brakes when you lift that splitter with the three point. If it doesn't work out as a splitter- it would be some very decent ballast if you have a FE loader.

 

[John_Mc]

I have used Black pipe for hydraulic stuff. Never an issue. Can't say, that I have ever seen pipe nipples stated for hydraulic use. Usually I use smaller than 1/2" pipe, but it would be interesting to know what the bursting rating is for 1/2" black pipe.

I see one chart that says 1/2" pipe has a bursting strength of 15,000 pounds!

This is similar to what they used: Black Iron Street Elbow. It's rated at 300 PSI. (There is also a class of parts made which are rated at 150 PSI). It may take some time to fail, but if/when it finally does, it can be like shrapnel.

Black Iron (also known as malleable iron) fittings are simply not appropriate for high pressure hydraulic lines. Forged Iron fittings are a different beast. They are commonly available in 3,000 and 6,000 PSI ratings, though you can find higher or lower ratings.

They ended up putting on some steel fittings which are rated at 3,000# or more (I can't remember the exact rating. I made them show me. I just remember thinking, "my tractor isn't going to get up that high".) While it's unlikely these will fail in use on my tractor's hydraulics, if they ever do fail, they don't go into "shrapnel mode".

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I've been out of town 3 days. The splitter is no longer on CL so it most likely sold. I'm not sure if I'm happy or disappointed. It probably would have worked for my low volume use assuming I made the fitting changes you guys suggested. Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Such things are a dime a dozen.

As for the pipe. I have not looked at many on-line charts but it seems they rate some fittings at a modest hundred or so pounds and have a bursting strength of 15,000 pounds. This makes no sense to me at all. And, having said that, the fact that they have such a high bursting strength is what makes them such good bombs.

AND, the hydraulic OEM hard tubing seems pretty skinny-walled to me. Compared to black pipe fittings.